Welcome and thank you for clicking in.
This is a step by step guide to scratch building the above terrain.
Before we start, there are a few things I'd like to run through with you.
- As you can see, this is terrain in the snow. If you prefer grass/dessert/moon. You can follow the same techniques shown here, just use different colour paints and flock.
- This not just a tutorial. It's an opportunity for me to learn from your critique.
- After you read this thread, but before you start building, put pen to paper and design how you
want your terrain to look. While you do this, put some thought into how you could use it tactically. If you struggle with this part. Wiz ahead to images 47 to 49.
Ok! Time to rock'n'roll.
Image 1: These are some of the materials you will need.
- Wood putty
- Wood glue
- Paints, black/white/sky blue
- News/butchers paper
- Card 3mm thick
- Art brush for paint and glue
- Banister brush
- Flat sheets of styrofoam
- Sandpaper
- Stanley knife
- Flock
- Tubs for paint and glue
- Large and small sifters
- Niko pen (Permenant Marker)
Image 2: These are the raw materials you will need
- Pine bark
- Sand
- Gravel
Pour the sand through the large sifter. This will give you the large grain.
Pour the rest of the sand through the small sifter to give you the middle and fine grains.
Blending your sand from fine to gravel is important as blending paint on your models.
Image 3: If you cannot get pine bark in the country you live then any bark that has a slate like texture to it's edge will do. I bought mine from a garden supply store.
Image 4: All set to start building some terrain.
Do not glue at this stage!
Image 5: Place the layers that suit your design, then mark out there shapes with the niko. I'm building two pieces from the one base. Will only be concentrating with the one on the left for this demo.
Image 6: Leave the edges that you want the bark at 90% angle.
The edges you want free of bark, cut at a forty five degree angle.
Image 7: Lightly feather the sandpaper across the sloped edges, leaving a rounded surface.
Use the sandpaper too heavy and it will leave big honk'n holes over your project.
NOW you can glue the different layers together. As you can see,I've changed my mind and removed the third level.
This stage is optional!
I want some Slate stairs the locals have placed to make there trekking a little easier. So I've cut out an area for them to go.
Image 9: Sought out some long pieces of bark for the first row.
Image 10:Place your project onto the news/butchers paper. Dab some glue onto the bark and place onto the flat edge of your project.
You may need to hold them into place with the glue and paint bottles.
Give it about twenty minutes to, kind of sought of dry.
Image 11: do the same for the second row, only use shorter pieces of bark.
Image 12: Aaaand the same for the third row.
Leave to dry properly overnight... See you in the morning!
Good morning world!
Image 13: As you can see, the bark is looking like a cluster of rocks already.
Image 14: Glue some small, thin pieces of bark unevenly around to break up the flat wall of the first layer of bark.
Also glue the top step in, if your using them.
Image 15: If you want your project to have more than three layers and all the way round, Like the above image...
Image 16: Raise your project with a small, flat piece of foam, Then glue the forth layer of bark. Repeat this process for the fifth layer and so on
I'm happy with just the three layers, so lets move on.
Image 17: To adhere our project to the card, Pour a small amount of glue to the base.
Image 18: Spread the glue around every mm of the surface.
If it looks like there's too much glue, then scrape some off. To much glue will warp the card. Not enough and it will peel off in a short amount of time.
Image 19: This is a cautionary tale!
The above image shows the project being weighed down by large, full bottles.
Because I didn't also weigh down the edges and corners of the card, the edge of my terrain warped upwards leaving a milimeter gap between it and the table. So...
Make sure you weigh down both the project and the edges/corners of the card.
Leave to dry for a few hours... I've got a lawn to mow.
It's putty time!
Image 20: Spread the putty around all the surface of the styrofoam with the spreader supplied or with a butter knife.
Image 21: Use your fingers in the tiny spaces and on top of the stairs. Leave the slate like texture on the edge of the stairs free of putty.
Image 22: Run a line of putty along the base of the rock face as well.
Image 23: Leave to dry overnight... It's scotch night in our house, so I'll see you after lunch tomorrow.
Good afternoon world,(He said gingerly).
Image 24: Gently feather the sandpaper across the dried putty till it is smooth to your satisfaction.
Image 25: To cut away the excess card, place your stanley knife at a forty five degree angle. This will keep the edge flush to the table.
Remember to cut away from you. Also, put more pressure downward and less guiding the blade around the card.
Image 26: There we have it. All ready for the gravel.
Image 27: This is the result of the cautionary tale mentioned in the gluing of the base stage.
A one mm gap between the terrain and the table.
To fix this, place onto another piece of newspaper.Re-glue the project to another piece of card, (Remembering to weigh both terrain and card edges). Then re-putty the edge of the whole piece to make it flush with the table. Wait to dry, then cut away from newspaper.
Image 28: Brush some glue round the surface where you want the gravel/sand.
Image 29: Lightly sprinkle the middle grain sand towards the back of the section you glued. Making sure there's plenty of space between most of the grains.
Image 30: Pour on the fine grain sand. When dry, turn your project upside down to remove the excess sand.
You will notice the edge of the fine grain sand is quite stark.
When the glue has dried, sandpaper the edge of the sand till it blends nicely into the area you intend to flock.
Image 31: Brush another strip of glue along the base of the bark and arrange the gravel into the position you require.
Image 32: Undercoat the bark in black. Not to thick. We want the textured edges of the bark to be sharp and clear. Give it an hour to dry... Game of Thrones, here I come!
Image 33: If your not building a snow piece, then ignor this part. Now we paint the tips of the bark with white, representing snow that has fallen into the crevasses. Wait to dry.
Image 34: Mix 10% white, 90% black ratio shade of grey.
Turn your project upside down, and paint with downward strokes. This will prevent the grey seeping into the white crevasses. Now paint the gravelled areas.
Image 35: Very lightly dry brush the tips of the bark. This will give the impression that the snow is deep within.
Image 36: Leave to dry for another Game of... Hour or so.
Image 37: Mix 50% white, 50% black ratio shade of grey. This will be the actual colour of the rock. It my seem a little light compared to the last shade we used, but remember, paint darkens when it drys.
Heavy dry brush the sides of the bark and gravel. leave it for twenty min to dry.
Image 38: Mix 90% white, 10% black ratio shade of grey, (This will be the last shade of grey, not 50 of them). This will represent the reflection of the sun.
Lightly dry brush the top half of the bark, the tips and the gravel. Another twenty to dry.
Image 39: If your project is not snow, then this is the last stage of paining for you. You can rejoin us at image 42.
My fellow snow bunnies have another three stages to go.
Image 40: Dry brush straight white on the top half of the bark
This is not snow... yet. Anther twenty to dry... I'll be fitting in a Big Bang episode.
Image 41: Mix 10% blue, 90% water to create a wash.
Brush generously over the bark. This will give the rock an ice affect. Let dry overnight.
Image 42: Dry brush the top half of the bark again. This will be your snow.
Non snow people join in here.
Paint the puttied areas with the colour you intend to flock with.
Image 43: Place something you can use as a stand for your project onto a newspaper.
I've used the container that stores the gravel.
Place the terrain onto the stand, cover the puttied areas with glue, then sprinkle the flock heavily.
Image 44: once the glue has dried, turn the terrain upside down and pour the excess flock onto the paper. Then pour from there into the container for your flock. Ready for another project.
The glue for the flock will strengthen the putty and prevent it from breaking away.
Images 45/46: The finish piece.
When using this terrain, discuss the rules with your opponents. My mates and I have desided that the flat parts of the diorama isn't difficult terrain. One friend argued the point, so we compromised. Hence the stairs. Because of the ice on the rocks, we decided they were dangerous terrain. Impassable if over three layers of bark.
I've designed this terrain to benefit the Eldar. The last stage will show you how.
The terrain is wide enough that most races will need 1/2 rounds to reach the edge of the high point. Which leaves them at 2/3 rounds to be able to fire their heavy weapons at full BS.
Thanks to battle focus and fleet, 90% of the time, the Eldar will reach there and be at full BS straight from deployment, (We have dice tested this).
Thank you for taking the time to read this long winded demonstration. I truly hope that it helps you enjoy gaming even more.
Have other designs like bunkers on this sought of terrain, Eldar bunkers and such.
If you would like to learn more. Please let me know in the posts... Be well and Pointy ears forever!!